


Fairy Tales

by masquerade97



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 06:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9709214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masquerade97/pseuds/masquerade97
Summary: Alec and Magnus are both worried about taking their relationship to the next step, though for entirely different reasons.





	

Alec’s head was spinning from all the places Magnus had showed him. Madrid, Cairo, Beijing, Prague, Tokyo. Sure, he could have visited them otherwise, but that would have likely been on Shadowhunter business to the Institutes. There was something about being there with Magnus, about avoiding anything that resembled the shadow world, that was relaxing, a form of escape. Magnus could speak like a native, finding places Alec never would have thought to look for. There were secluded gardens and abandoned towns on the outskirts, hidden haunts in corners of the cities where the crowds were locals.

Magnus could blend in, and Alec felt clunky and out of place, like a bull in a china shop. He got weird looks, some interested, some uneasy. He saw a few people notice his runes and slip away before he could get a good look at them.

“Relax, Alexander,” Magnus said quietly, close to Alec’s ear, a gentle hand on Alec’s shoulder.

“Easier said than done,” Alec said. He forced his muscles to loosen up anyway, trusting Magnus’ presence beside him.

In each of their adventures, Alec tried to find a gift for Magnus. He couldn’t explain why, but he felt the need to show Magnus, somehow, how he felt. Alec knew he wasn’t good with words, so he figured he’d have to show rather than tell. It wasn’t until Tokyo that he found something he liked, and he waited until Magnus was distracted (he recognized someone from who knew how long ago and spent a few minutes reminiscing) to buy it; he thought it might have been a long time since someone had surprised Magnus. The look on Magnus’ face when Alec gave him the token proved his suspicions.

“Where to next?” Magnus asked, looking like he was trying to rein in whatever it was he was feeling. “The world is our oyster.”

Alec huffed a laugh. “Anywhere?”

“Well,” Magnus replied, half a smile on his face, glancing up at Alec playfully, “anywhere but Peru.”

Alec’s brow furrowed. “Peru? Why not Peru?”

Magnus raised his brows and spread his arms wide, half mischievous and half confused. It was an interesting look.

“What happens if you go back?”

“I’d rather not find out,” Magnus replied, his attention going back to the charm in his hand.

“What’d you do that you can’t go back?” Alec asked, stepping closer.

Magnus glanced up at him. “Oh, come now Alexander,” he said, “if I told you, that would ruin the effect.”

“Can I have a hint?”

“A hint?” Magnus took a step closer, looking up and away as if thinking of a plausible answer. Alec found himself leaning closer. “It involves…” he paused, eyeing Alec, his gaze pausing on Alec’s lips. “Glitter.”

Alec actually laughed, leaning even closer. “Glitter?” he managed. “You can’t be serious.”

“Of course I can,” Magnus said, but he smiled too.

“Come on, what was it?” Alec asked. He was suddenly aware of the lack of space between them, and his grin softened, his gaze flicking between Magnus’ cat eyes and his mouth.

“I don’t know,” Magnus replied with half a shrug.

Alec drew back, confused. “You don’t know?”

“No clue,” Magnus said. He reached out and touched Alec’s arm, and Alec leaned into the touch, feeling goosebumps crawl up his arm.

“So what happened?”

“The Warlock Counsel in Peru sent me a fire message one day,” Magnus said. “I never found out why.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Alec said. “You’re so pleasant to be around.”

Magnus chuckled. “I can think of a couple of reasons.”

Alec leaned forward again, his forehead knocking against Magnus’. “Involving glitter?”

Magnus laughed. “One of them, yes.”

Alec was just about to close the distance between them when there was a _thump_ from the spare room. Alec rolled his eyes. “Jace,” he muttered.

“You’re not going to let him ruin a good thing, are you?” Magnus asked, a wry look on his face. He waved a hand and a speaker in the corner of the room came to life.

“I guess not,” Alec said, smiling as Magnus pressed their lips together.

*~*~*~*~*

“I think it’s time we take the next step,” Alec said. To say he’d had an eventful night after the others in the Institute had summoned him away was an understatement; he’d fought demons in Grand Central and spent the better part of an hour helping Izzy track down rogue Vampire clans. It was better to be here, with his hands around Magnus’ waist, Magnus’ hands on his shoulders. His heart was racing, but he wanted this.

Magnus’ face tightened. “The sex step,” he said, running his hands down Alec’s chest, as if steadying himself.

A confused look crossed Alec’s face, his fears from earlier returning. “Is there something wrong?” he asked, fear and uncertainty mingling in his chest when Magnus pulled away from him.

“No,” Magnus said, shaking his head. “I’m just afraid that…” He paused, turning to look at Alec. “I’m afraid that if we take the next step…that I might lose you.”

Alec breathed a sigh of relief. That was a situation he felt equipped to deal with. “Magnus,” he said, reaching out to grip Magnus’ shoulders, “you have nothing to worry about.”

Magnus shook his head. “That doesn’t stop one from worrying, as I’m sure you know,” he said. He made to step around Alec, but Alec stepped with him. Something seemed to click into place in his mind and he cocked his head to one side, studying Alec. “Is this something you _really_ want, Alexander?”

Alec drew back, the smile on his face fading. “What do you mean? Of course I want to.”

“You’re pressing. Awfully hard, I might add,” Magnus said. His brow furrowed, and he leaned closer, as if trying to find something specific in Alec’s eyes.

“No, I _want_ to,” Alec said. He knew he was working himself up, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. Ever since Magnus had mentioned Cassanova earlier in the night, he couldn’t talk himself back to a comfortable mindset. He turned and walked to the couch, flopping down gracelessly, suddenly needing space away from Magnus’ unearthly gaze. “I just-”

“Alexander,” Magnus said, not moving from where he was standing, “what’s bothering you?” His voice was calm and steady, and Alec felt his shoulders relax despite himself.

“The whole,” Alec gestured helplessly, “ _Cassanova_ thing.”

Magnus pursed his lips and looked away. Alec couldn’t read what he was thinking.

“I just… I mean – how am I…?” Alec trailed off, shifting his weight uncertainly. How was he supposed to say that he was afraid that he wouldn’t be enough? How could he compare to so many people, to _Cassanova_ , of all people? He didn’t _know_.

There was a heavy silence between them, and it made Alec anxious. “Say something,” he finally said.

Magnus nodded, but Alec could tell Magnus hadn’t heard him.

“Cassanova,” Magnus said, still nodding before he glanced up at Alec. “Cassanova couldn’t hold a candle to you, Alexander.”

Alec started. “He…what?”

“I told you before, it isn’t often that I feel about someone the way I feel about you,” Magnus continued. He turned so he was facing Alec fully, but Alec didn’t feel like it was a challenge like he would in a fight – instead, he felt like this was a gesture of honesty.

It terrified him.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Alec said, glancing away. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

“When you were…ill,” Magnus said, gesturing away as if to fend off the memory, “nothing was working to wake you up.”

“I’ve heard,” Alec said, wringing his hands together.

“No, you haven’t,” Magnus said. Alec caught on something in his voice and looked up.

Magnus took a breath to steady himself. “Someone commented on how long it was taking me to wake you up,” he said. “I told him it wasn’t as easy as waking Sleeping Beauty with true love’s kiss.”

Alec had about four things he wanted to say in response to that, but he couldn’t make his tongue form the words. He caught Magnus’ gaze, and noticed the corners of Magnus’ mouth quirk up.

“Later, when we had you here instead of at the institute, I could feel you slipping away,” Magnus said, a pained look on his face. “There wasn’t much of you left here, and I’d tried everything else.”

Alec sat up straighter. He wanted to say something, but all he could manage was a quiet, “Magnus.”

“True love’s kiss,” Magnus said, a bit of irony in his voice. “Sometimes you get desperate enough to try things like that.”

“You tried…?”

“I did,” Magnus admitted. He stepped closer to the couch and lowered himself slowly beside Alec. “I couldn’t stand to lose you. I don’t know what I was feeling, but I knew that if a kiss would wake you, it would have to come from someone who felt the way I do.”

Alec opened his mouth to say something, and promptly closed it again. He felt his face heat up and looked away.

“And if it means anything to you, I never felt anything for Cassanova that was strong enough for me to believe I could have woken him.”

Alec was silent a moment, trying to let the words process. Finally, he glanced up and saw amber eyes burning into his, willing him to believe. “You mean that?” he asked.

“I do.”

“Why…why didn’t you tell me?” Alec asked.

“I didn’t want you to feel pressured to stay with me,” Magnus said. “To…spare my feelings, if you will.” Magnus reached out to take Alec’s hand, squeezing it gently. “I hope…I hope you understand now why I’m afraid to do too much, too soon.”

“Magnus,” Alec said, covering Magnus’ hand with his empty one. “I’m not afraid of what we do. I’m afraid…that I’m not enough.”

“You’re you, Alexander,” Magnus said, smiling slightly. “You’re already enough.”

“And you aren’t going to scare me away,” Alec promised, pulling Magnus’ hands closer to himself. “I’m not going anywhere. I _want_ to be here.”

Magnus looked from their joined hands to Alec’s face, as if he were trying to keep himself from believing it too whole-heartedly. Alec couldn’t say he didn’t feel the same way.

“I believe you,” Alec finally said. “You won’t lose me. Not over something like this.” One side of his mouth turned up and he added, “Maybe a demon-”

“Don’t talk like that,” Magnus said, freeing one of his hands to cup Alec’s face, his eyes searching. “I won’t lose you to demons either.”

“You know? I believe that,” Alec said, surging forward to press his lips to Magnus’. He felt Magnus’ hand snake around to card through his hair.

Alec had never been one for fairy tales; he’d only ever read them if they were relevant to what Hodge was teaching.

But sitting with Magnus, _kissing_ Magnus, he thought he might finally truly understand what all those fairy tales were talking about.

**Author's Note:**

> [i'm over here on tumblr if you want to squeal about malec with me](http://titlecomingsoon.tumblr.com/ask)


End file.
